This movie is no guilty pleasure, but an entirely innocent one. Frozen is an animated fairytale musical in the classic Disney manner, a new twist on Hans Christian Andersen's The Snow Queen.

It's a slap-up Christmas treat, a wide-eyed charmer of a film with terrific musical numbers from Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez (who worked on The Book of Mormon and Avenue Q); there are lovable characters and a robust, satisfying story with a big heart and a neat twist. Elsa, voiced by Idina Menzel, is the princess of an ancient kingdom, endowed with the magical power to create ice and snow. Having to conceal this dangerous talent causes her great loneliness; she is finally exiled on suspicion of witchcraft, but her devoted sister Anna, voiced by Kristen Bell, goes on an epic search to find her – and perhaps to find love. The spectacle is great and the song lyrics are a joy ("Are you holding back your fondness/ Due to his unnatural blondness?") Elsa's gaunt, strained appearance at her coronation scene put me pleasantly in mind of Cate Blanchett in Elizabeth, and her supernatural powers are the most impressive since Frozone in The Incredibles. Cheesy critical metaphors are hard to avoid: with such warmth within its icy landscape, this is a celluloidbaked alaska. It is glorious family entertainment.

Dorian Lynskey: Disney's Frozen is the biggest animation hit of all time. Critics were iffy on its release, but the icy tale of devoted sisters and its showstopping songs have won over children around the world